hello everyone!
now that Thanksgiving is on the horizon, the holiday season is officially looming over us. since i work a job in retail, the holidays are challenging for me in that i'm always short on time to think about what i'm bringing to Thanksgiving dinner, or what gifts i'm buying for my friends and family.
for my lolita friends, i start drafting up lists and pouring through their wishlists in early November. this way, i can keep a sharp eye on auctions and secondhand sites in order to receive everything in time for Christmas. this is what i did last year and it worked out wonderfully!
the following is a list of items i found to be very popular in giving gifts to lolitas over the years. some items do overlap with others, but hopefully this might give you some general ideas this holiday season:
1. something homemade
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| Pretty Peony Feathered Lolita Headdress from Atelier Sucré |
i list this as our first contender since i always find homemade items to be just that much more personal and unique to give. if you are not diy-inclined (i'm not!), consider supporting an indie brand. these brands often will make custom pieces for you as well, so if you're looking for just the right gift for a special friend, this might be a great option.
in no particular order, here are some of my favorite indie shops:
2. a small hair accessory
hair accessories are a great item to give since lolitas are constantly looking for something new! take this opportunity to help your friend update their wardrobe. ask yourself questions like, "has this friend started to add a new color into their wardrobe this year?" "would they prefer darker colors for winter, or pastel colors for the spring?" "does this friend follow more gothic, classic, sweet, or other styles?" "is this person looking to change their style?" "is this person a lolita or ouji?" these questions are helpful in selecting just the right accessory for your friends.
3. jewelry
like a hair accessory, jewelry might be a great route to go down for your friend. think of motifs that they might have in their collection, so that they might be able to integrate your gift into several coordinates. do they prefer crown prints or key prints? do they have a lot of animal prints in their wardrobe? what style do they primarily wear? what are their dream items?
4. an item to complete an outfit
if your friend has been missing one part of an otherwise perfect set, this may be something to keep an eye on. chances are, this item is rare and may not pop up for sale too often. if your friend is not actively looking or is saving money for their holiday gifts, giving them an item to complete their set might be something for them!
this also doesn't *have* to be a brand set item - if you find the perfect OTT pirate hat for an ouji you know, or the perfect shade of wine in an accessory to match a friend's Cameo Window JSK, that would be just as appreciated!
5. the latest fashion mag
this is a good idea for someone who might not buy KERA or the Gothic Lolita Bible too often, but love to read it when it is available. plus it's a great tool to refer to for the entire season, especially with the GLB!
6. a teacup and saucer
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| my current favorite, Royal Bird by Grace's Teaware |
for the tea aficionado of your group - you can customize exactly what kind of tea cup to purchase for your friend. do they have a favorite flower or bird? would they appreciate a unique tea cup, or do they prefer a more traditional look? do they have a favorite kind of tea that could accompany their new drinkware?
fun fact: giving tea cups and saucers as an engagement gift
is a very common tradition in many cultures!
7. an item from their wishlist (or something similar!)
depending on how many friends you are shopping for, this can become difficult and expensive very quickly! however, if you know that your friend has been looking for a particular item for a long time, and you happen to find it for cheap on auction, that would make the perfect gift!
keep in mind, you should test the waters and ask if they are bidding on anything lately to see if they might be already aware of the listing you're about to message your SS about. that way, you don't get into a bidding war with your friend!
if they have been looking for a specific item in a certain colorway, for example, a Loyalty Rosette beret in wine, perhaps looking for a red beret or commissioning a custom red hair accessory might be suitable since the original item is so hard to find (and expensive)!
if they have been looking for a specific item in a certain colorway, for example, a Loyalty Rosette beret in wine, perhaps looking for a red beret or commissioning a custom red hair accessory might be suitable since the original item is so hard to find (and expensive)!
8. a brand gift certificate
for the friend who is difficult to shop for, a gift certificate to one of their favorite brands could be in order. this doesn't have to be one of the major Japanese brands - it could be for an indie brand as mentioned above, or even a gift certificate to a popular meetup location might be useful.
9. something cute for their home
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| Hedgehog-shaped salt and pepper shakers from Target |
if you are thinking about purchasing an item for a friend's home, i would suggest looking at things they could need the next time you visit them. do they have a favorite animal? do they have any color themes in their kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom? do they have a 'lolita' room where they keep their wardrobe? did they move recently (items like drinkware, dinnerware, or organizational items might be good here)?
10. adorable stationery
if your friend has a lot of pen pals, or likes to send out notes when they sell or trade, this might be something worth looking into. this is an item where you could get the same thing for your friends, but customize it for each individual. does your friend have a favorite color? do they like Rilakkuma or Hello Kitty? do they like food themes, candy themes, seasonal themes? would they appreciate including gel pens with their stationery? do they use stickers often?
11. makeup
this last one can be sort of tricky, you might not be sure which shades look best on your friend or what products they use most often. but! i have seen some cute packaged bundles of items for the holidays. one that comes to mind is Too Faced's Belle Carousel line. carousels and circuses are a common motif in lolita, which is why i think this could be a hit! things like fake eyelashes, makeup brushes, primer, toner, rhinestone appliques, nail polish and even skin, nail, or hair treatments could be items worth giving.
12. books
for the avid reader, there are many loliable novels and texts that could lend themselves to a holiday gift. if they are partial to sewing or embroidery, there are many options for sewing how-tos or specific tutorials for certain techniques.
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| The Great Tea Rooms of Britain by Bruce Richardson |
a lot of my seamstress friends love the Otome no Sewing mooks - even if they cannot understand Japanese, this mook line is great for inspiration and patterning. places to buy Otome no Sewing would be CDJapan, eBay, secondhand, or at Japanese bookstores like Kinokuniya.
13. food
if you have a friend who loves food, you might consider finding some of their favorite candy or treats! if they have dietary restrictions, this might be even more appreciated - sometimes great food is hard to find. personally, eating meat gives me stomach issues and dairy is my most common trigger for migraine headaches. when someone introduces me to a new vegan restaurant or a bakery that has options for me to eat, i'm so excited!
many bakeries or specialty shops have also moved to selling their product online, which may be great if you don't live in the area or if it is to accommodate an allergy or food that is not commonly supported where you live (vegan donuts for example)!
my personal list of favorites:Cinnaholic
FoMu Ice Cream
14. a personalized greeting card
for friends that might be too far away, or who you might not talk to often, consider sending them a greeting card! this way they know that you are thinking of them even if they might not be expecting a gift from you :)
what are your favorite gifts to give?
until next time!
☆jessi
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